Endoscopic devices have been commonly used for various procedures, typically in the abdominal area. Endoscopy is the examination and inspection of the interior of body organs, joints or cavities through an endoscope. Endoscopy allows physicians to peer through the body's passageways. An endoscopic procedure may be used to diagnose various conditions by close examination of internal organ and body structures and may also guide therapy and repair, such as the removal of torn cartilage from the bearing surfaces of a joint. A biopsy, a procedure involving tissue sampling for pathologic testing, may also be performed under endoscopic guidance. For example, endoscopic procedures include the following known procedures: gastroscopy, sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy, esophago gastro duodenoscopy (EGD), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), and bronchoscopy.
The use of endoscopic treatments has recently increased for some diseases occurring in the gastrointestinal or pancreatobiliary duct systems. Endoscope systems are used frequently for diagnostic procedures, including contrast imaging of biliary or pancreatic ducts. Endoscopes are also used in procedures for retrieving gallstones that exist in the common bile duct and elsewhere.
Typically, these treatments are performed in the pancreatic duct, bile duct, and the hepatic duct by positioning the distal end of an endoscope in the vicinity of the duodenal papilla. Once the endoscope is in place, a wire guide is delivered to the target anatomy via the working channel of the endoscope. In order to guide the wire guide (or other medical instruments), out of the working channel of the endoscope, a rigid elevator is typically used to orient or deflect the distal end of the wire guide. When the distal end of the wire guide is properly oriented, the wire guide is inserted into the target anatomy.
At this point in the procedure, a catheter or similar treatment instrument can be passed over the wire guide either in a conventional over-the-wire style or in a rapid exchange style to the target anatomy. In order to limit movement of the wire guide relative to the target anatomy, the distal or proximal ends of the guide wire can be locked relative to the endoscope.
Many current endoscopic systems include endoscopes having an elevator used to orient the wire guide and to lock the distal end of the wire guide. In many of such endoscopes, the elevator includes a v-shaped groove. The v-shaped groove is typically used to guide the wire guide to a central position relative to the endoscope. The elevator having a v-shaped groove is further used to lock the distal end of the guide wire. However, when an inflatable balloon is used, there is a risk that the balloon may get caught within the groove. This is undesirable. Moreover, clinicians have been challenged in accurately positioning the inflatable balloons during an endoscopic procedure.
Thus, there is a need for an endoscopic apparatus that protects an inflatable balloon and maintains it position to ensure accuracy when deploying an inflatable balloon to dilate a stricture.